~ OP-ED ~ Malden: Number 1 Where We Don’t Want to Be

By Councillor Craig Spadafora

I’m going to save you the headache of guessing which list Malden is topping right now, and trust me, it’s not a list anyone would be proud of. Yes, we’ve landed ourselves in the unfortunate position of being number one on a list that highlights the stark challenges our city faces, and let me tell you, it’s a tough pill to swallow.

Let’s kick things off with the “good news,” if we can even call it that. For the past two years, we’ve been painfully aware of the issues at hand, and our state delegation isn’t living in a bubble either—they are fully on board. There’s been many meetings, lots of brainstorming and plenty of proposals among local officials about alternative methods to dodge this collision course we find ourselves on. But let’s be very honest with you; there is no easy answer and the impact to Malden is real.

Here comes the simple truth. Malden is a gateway city, tied to the same formula that dictates educational funding requirements for all cities in Massachusetts. This formula looks at only two key elements, property value and total income of all residents, to determine how much we are required by law to put towards education. The formula does NOT consider actual revenue. As a result, the formula can leave a wide variety of results in terms of the impact on a cities budget.   Looking at FY 2023 data, our required local contribution stands at a staggering **35.76%** of available revenue. To put that in perspective, take a look at our neighbors—Revere is at **27.72%**, Everett is at **23.67%**, and Lawrence? A mere **9.53%**. The result is that we have less left after education funding than any other gateway city.

Let’s examine the impact. If Malden were simply AVERAGE as compared to other gateway cities as it relates to education funding, Malden would find itself with an additional **$30 million** available in the budget to improve all other local services and fund essential needs beyond the minimum required school funding. Some communities benefiting from this formula are swimming in revenue while others boast a robust commercial tax base that is treated far more favorably by the formulas as Malden’s tax base is a whopping **90% residential**, and that percentage is only growing.

How does this grim situation affect every resident? The more we are squeezed to cover the funding required by law for education, the less money there is for essential city services. This isn’t just about how much we’re spending on schools; it’s a city-wide crisis. Unless we take serious action to alter this formula and make it truly equitable, with consideration for ACTUAL revenue, then Malden’s financial outlook is troubling.

In the last fiscal year, Malden resorted to using $5.6 million in one-time funds just to balance the budget. On top of that, our pension obligations are set to increase by **$702k**, and the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School will be requiring an allocation of an additional **$480,000** soon. And let’s not forget that this all unfolds against a backdrop where the state is feeling financially pinched, and the federal government is poised to tighten its belt even more.

We need to prioritize these issues—this should be the number one topic of discussion! We can’t keep taxing our hard-working residents into oblivion while claiming we want Malden to be affordable. Enough is enough! We must rally together to address this crisis before it spirals out of control.

Let’s keep the conversation going. Your voice is crucial in this battle.